LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON PUBLIC Hon. HARLEY O. STAGGERS, Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Transmitted herewith is the report of findings of the undersigned members of the Subcommittee on Public Health and Environment during our recent official visit to Thailand, South Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Japan in order to investigate the extent of production and abuse of opiates in that area of the world. We found much to be praised and much to be criticized. Nevertheless, we agree with the admonition of a noted sociologist, Alfred R. Lindesmith, author of "The Addict and the Law," who cautions: International discussions of the Far Eastern opium and drug problems have often been highly charged with emotion and filled with political crosscurrents, mutual recriminations, charges and countercharges. *** Countries in which there is an illicit drug traffic with supplies originating outside the country invariably blame the country of origin for their problems; no blame appears to attach to those countries which provide the markets for illicit supplies. It is our hope that the criticisms in the report will stimulate constructive responses and that our recommendations will be seriously considered. We also earnestly hope that the drug abuse legislation which this committee will report in the next few weeks will have a positive effect on the problems detailed herein. Respectfully submitted. PRODUCTION AND ABUSE OF OPIATES IN THE FAR EAST INTRODUCTION Members of the Subcommittee on Public Health and Environment conducted an official visit to the Kingdom of Thailand, the Republic of South Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Japan during the period August 6, 1971 through August 22, 1971. The subcommittee presently is conducting hearings on drug abuse, and is considering H.R. 9264, the Administration's "Drug Abuse Prevention Act"; H.R. 9059, introduced by certain members of the subcommittee; and approximately 60 related bills. The principal purpose of the visit was to investigate the sources of and traffic in illicit drugs and to determine the extent of drug abuse among U.S. servicemen stationed in Southeast Asia. A secondary purpose was to become acquainted with environmental problems and anti-pollution measures in Japan. The visiting team included Representative Paul G. Rogers, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Public Health and Environment, Representative David E. Satterfield, III, Representative Peter N. Kyros, Representative Richardson Preyer, Adrian Swain of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and Stephan E. Lawton, Subcommittee Counsel. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Sources, production and distribution of opium and its derivatives Turkey's decision to ban opium production probably will promote the tri-border area of Thailand, Burma and Laos into the principal source of heroin and other opiates which ultimately reach the bloodstreams of America's hundreds of thousands of addicts, both at home and in the armed services abroad. In an effort to determine the extent of opium production in the tri-border area and to gain information on which to base recommendations and legislation to curtail the accessibility of opiates, members of the subcommittee went straight to the source the tri-border area. The subcommittee members found that present efforts of the United States and Thai governments to eliminate poppy growth in the tri-border area are futile. The poppy which flourishes at the three to seven thousand foot level in the tri-border area's rugged, mountainous terrain, is the only cash crop which affords the area's hill tribesmen an existence beyond subsistence level. U.S. estimates of the amount of opium that will be produced in the tri-border area this year run as high as 1000 tons. Although a considerable amount of the raw opium is refined in Thailand itself, both Hong Kong and Tachilek, Burma, serve as major refining points. The principal convoy route is from Mae Sai 2 near the Burma-Thai border south along an all-weather highway to Bangkok. Various methods are used to redistribute opiates to South Vietnam, Okinawa, Japan, the U.S. and other countries. Most of the opiates shipped from Bangkok are transported to Hong Kong for redistribution; some shipments are flown directly from Bangkok, Huai Sai, Laos and Tachilek to South Vietnam. Because of inadequate inspection procedures servicemen stationed in Thailand apparently have little difficulty shipping heroin by army post office into South Vietnam. Other groups, mainly ex-servicemen, are flying opiates into the United States via body pack. In Hong Kong, a major R&R area for South Vietnam, bargirls have acted as couriers. Prevention Representatives of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs are attached to embassies in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Saigon, Hong Kong and Tokyo and seem on the whole to enjoy good relationships with the local officials. Unfortunately, these BNDD officials are somewhat hampered by their responsibility to the embassies because they often seem to be at cross purposes with the State Department officials. A lack of funds and manpower also deters prompt and efficient action. Probably the greatest obstacles to fruitful results are indigenous ones. Northern Thailand is a remote unstable area and stern measures to control the production of opium at its source are dependent in great measure on maintaining control of the northern provinces by the Bangkok government. The Border Patrol Police, the only law enforcement agency in the area, is simply not equipped with either the men or the arms required to deal with the smuggling and production of opium. Control of opium is only a secondary function of the police. The majority of their efforts include combating communist insurgents and protection of border integrity. The further opiates are transported from their source, the more difficult prevention becomes. In Vietnam, real attempts are being made by South Vietnamese authorities to suppress heroin traffic within Vietnam. In 1970, the South Vietnamese police made 3,880 drug-related arrests and seized 1,054 pounds of opium, an obvious step-up in activity over the 1,050 arrests and eleven pounds of heroin seized in 1968. Nevertheless, there is little indication of difficulty in obtaining vials of heroin in major population centers in Vietnam. Given the lack of adequate manpower, the proliferation of "junks" in Hong Kong harbor makes inspection an impossible task. Apparently, most of the opium traffic in Hong Kong is controlled by a few impenetrable Chinese families, very much like our Mafia. Another serious obstacle to enforcement is the attitude on the part of some of the "donor" governments that opium shipments are the problem of the recipient. Japan is the sole exception to the rule that heroin addiction appears to be spreading throughout the world. The country has experienced a remarkable reduction in addiction during the past few years. Although the principal reasons appear to be cultural in nature as well as the lack of criminal procedural guarantees, Japan's success rate with compulsory hospitalization indicates that civil commitment of addicts in this country should be carefully considered. 3 The U.S. Military One of the main missions of the subcommittee visit was to determine the extent of drug abuse by United States servicemen. The subcommittee met with great difficulties in obtaining hard data regarding involvement with drugs by military personnel stationed in the Far East. Both in Thailand and in Vietnam, military personnel had been instructed not to reveal statistics obtained by urinalysis screening beyond those which had already been publicized. Figures based solely on the urinalysis statistics do not appear to be a reliable indicator of involvement in any case, particularly in light of the fact that with few exceptions urinalysis is done only on those men leaving the area. Figures based on indicators other than urinalysis indicate that drug abuse among enlisted servicemen in Vietnam greatly exceeds the muchpublicized figure of five percent and ranges as high as forty percent in some units. Spurred by White House and Congressional action, the military has begun to develop new methods for dealing with the widespread problem of drug abuse among our servicemen stationed in the Far East. Until a few months ago, drug involvement was, like alcohol abuse, considered to be a behavorial problem requiring disciplinary action only. The military has now recognized a greater responsibility, not only to men exposed to drugs but also to society in general, and is responding with treatment and rehabilitation programs despite a lack of trained personnel and the necessity to work within the confines of the military mission. According to several surveys and descriptions by medical personnel, the typical service addict is indistinguishable from his fellow enlisted men. A high school graduate, he turns to drugs because of boredom. He probably is not a draftee. Usually, he has not received punitive action prior to treatment. The military estimates his chances of rehabilitation at 80 percent. Despite an increased awareness of the reasons for drug addiction and recent strenuous efforts to provide adequate treatment, rehabilitation measures in Vietnam are not successful. At Bien Hoa Army Base, home of the First Cavalry Division, military officials estimate the cure rate at the base treatment center to be as low as 10 percent. The subcommittee members doubt whether drug treatment programs will ever be successful in Vietnam, given the lack of trained personnel, the pressure of military affairs and the short period of treatment afforded in Vietnam. Background FINDINGS THAILAND Production and trafficking of opium have been widespread in the triborder area of northern Thailand and the bordering countries of Laos and Burma as well as Yunnan Province, China, for decades. The recent agreement by the Turkish government to cease the production of opium and the probability of similar action by Iran and Afghanistan undoubtedly will convert this area, sometimes known as the Golden Triangle, into the world's largest source of heroin ultimately imported into the United States. Indeed, the area has the potential to supply the entire world market. |